Decorating Bathrooms for Kids

Designing Bathrooms that Appeal to Kids



By Shannon M. Craig
Special to the Arizona Daily Star

The whole idea is to design a bathroom that's appealing to youngsters and gives them a sense of control so they want to use it, said Diana Patterson, a Tucson-based interior designer who helps families create kid-friendly spaces.

"Safety is the main issue," Patterson said. "It's a tricky project because, of course, the children are going to grow, so it's important to use accessories that can be upgraded and changed as they do."
Some very simple and inexpensive changes can turn the bathroom into a kid-friendly space, said Patterson. Use towel hooks instead of racks. Hang hand towels on the front of cabinets for easy reach. Consider installing an attached step stool so kids can reach the counter with added stability — a very important safety element with small children.

If you must use a free-standing step stool, make sure it's broad enough so it won't easily tip, Patterson said. Nonskid pads on the bottom of the stool will keep it from sliding.

Patterson is currently working with her daughter and son-in-law, Gayle and Conrad Masterson, to redesign a guest bathroom in their sprawling 2,700-square-foot Foothills home that will be shared by their two girls, ages 2 and 5, and a baby boy due in March.

The challenge for Gayle Masterson, who's also a psychiatrist, is to make the bathroom easier for the kids to use but keep the space appropriate for adult guests.

"It's important for us to make the bathroom kid-accessible but not with Winnie the Pooh all over," Masterson said, adding that she will focus much of her initial effort on doing practical things like installing towel hooks at a kid-friendly height. Long-term, Masterson said she plans to add another sink as well as build step stools into the vanity that stow away to look like cabinets.

The transformation of Masterson's plain hallway bathroom began with a new paint job in sherbet-colored hues such as mist green, banana yellow and rosy pink along with white. To make the space inviting to the children — and bring the bathroom down to their level — Patterson will create a mirrored wall across from the vanity with 12-inch beveled tiles. Resembling a checkerboard with an explosion of color in between the mirrored tiles, the design serves as both a mirror and an attractive piece of artwork that the Masterson family will enjoy for years to come.


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